Showing posts with label Macaroni and Cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Macaroni and Cheese. Show all posts

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Fall Comfort Foods

Here are a few of my favorite weeknight meals inspired by brussels sprouts, the fall season, cranberries, maple syrup, local bloggers, sage and pumpkin.

Sometimes, the most satisfying dinnertime meal is a plate of roasted vegetables. Easy prep, easy bake, easy clean - are you sensing a trend?! Besides the ease of all steps involved, I feel super healthy after eating a big ol' plate of them! And as the central focus of the meal, rather than a typical side, I seem to appreciate them that much more.
No vegetable makes me happier than roasted brussels sprouts, they stand in a class all their own. I toss them in a generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them on a foil lined baking sheet. Into a 400 degree oven they go for about 20 minutes, until a golden caramelized exterior begins to form.
The baked sweet potato needs 45 minutes to an hour in the oven. Once cooled, I topped the halves with a light, creamy Maple Sage Yogurt.
The simple preparation courtesy of We Are Not Martha mixes 6 oz of Greek yogurt with 1.5 tablespoons of pure maple syrup and a tablespoon of finely chopped sage. It's a delicious component that livens up, and lightens up a meal of hearty roasted vegetables.

The ultimate seasonal comfort food proves to be a Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese, I borrowed this recipe from The Small Boston Kitchen.Coarse breadcrumbs incorporated with sage top a creamy cheddar, gouda and goat cheese blend using whole milk and lots of butter, a can of pumpkin puree (the original recipe used fresh), onions, spices and a tablespoon of grainy mustard. All of it gets baked until golden brown and yields plenty of velvety pumpkin meets gooey cheese goodness; with lots of leftovers to boot.
Back to brussels sprouts because I seriously can't get enough, this time they get sauteed and coated in a Maple Dijon Dressing and studded with a few extra components! I spotted this dish last season on Delicious Dishings and have made it once before. The sweet and savory dressing is really tasty. This time, I put my own twist on the inventive pairing of the coveted green veggie with buttery egg noodles, lacing them with toasted pecans for a textural crunch and dried cranberries which lend a tart sweetness. How badly are you craving a bowl of this?!
The second installment of fall cooking here on III is nothing without dessert! I made Butterscotch & Cranberry Blondies after I spotted the recipe on A Cambridge Story, originally adapted from Cooks Illustrated, Fall Entertaining. The mix calls for a truckload of butter, as in 12 tablespoons of it - which I took the liberty of reducing to 10! These are ridiculously buttery and indulgent even so. The dried cranberries make another appearance, they definitely give a tart and juicy complex to the blondies, while the real start is the sweet butterscotch chips. True comfort is evoked in each and every bite. I absolutely love fall foods!!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

New Eats in Back Bay: The Brahmin

Restaurants and lounges are opening like wildfire in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. Take for example the property on Stanhope Street which has undergone a complete overhaul in the last year to welcome a trifecta of upscale establishments. The latest to open its Brownstone framed doors, serving affordable American cuisine in an atmosphere evoking classic old world elegance is The Brahmin. I joined Meghan, Emily, Megan and Amy two Sunday evenings ago where we took full advantage of the nice weather, opting to dine on the patio. Our waitress possessed a good grasp of the menu offerings and delivered timely service throughout. We ordered a number of small plates which she had expedited in stages, setting a relaxed pace for the meal instead of an overwhelming rapid fire of dishes. We were elated to see Fried Pickles ($5) on the menu, these crave-able discs were delicately fried and accompanied by a sweet pepper sauce. Akin to the fried pickles, a menu listing of Tater Tots ($6) always warrant attention. What this batch lacked in seasoning they made up for with a trio of dipping sauces including truffled ketchup, garlic aioli, and grainy mustard. We balanced the hot crispy bites with a light Arugula Salad ($6) consisting of goat cheese, fresh apples and prosciutto in a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Peppery, creamy, sweet and salty, this simple salad was a delight. Even more delightful was the Potato and Roasted Onion Fritatta ($3.50) for the combined facts that we ordered it whim, it only cost three dollars and fifty cents and its deliciousness took us by complete surprise.A thick wedge of fluffy eggs loaded with potatoes and onions was reminiscent of the Tortilla de Patatas I ate in Spain! The Brahmin's version was elevated by fresh scallions and a diced red and yellow pepper salsa that embodied a remarkably refreshing sweetness.From the sea, an order of Grilled Prawns ($8) were nicely prepared in a smokey chipoltle rub, and the Tuna Two Ways ($10) presented an ordinary tartare and seared slices of the fish atop rectangles of juicy watermelon. I almost wished this dish was tuna one way, the latter preparation impressed far more than the former, but I suppose it's all what you are in the mood for. Sometimes, two is more exciting than one, so I appreciate the concept and thought behind the fresh tuna duo. A beautiful platter of Seasonal Tomatoes ($7) with baby mozzarella, cold press oil, smoked sea salt and micro greens clung to summer while a hearty Beef Short Rib ($11) with cauliflower parsnip puree and pickled shallots marched towards fall. I thoroughly enjoyed both. Rounding out the dishes was a plate of nicely charred Grilled White Asparagus ($5) wrapped in serrano ham with a luscious lemon sauce and another one of those too-good-to-pass-up elevated comforts, Truffle Mac & Cheese ($7). Admittedly the consensus was that the use of truffle oil throughout was inconsistent, but when you got that luxurious truffle infused cheesy bite, especially one coated with baked breadcrumbs, all was forgiven. I briefly wandered inside at the end of our meal. The swanky interior evokes a turn-of-the-century vibe. Flickering candles and ornate chandeliers illuminate the deep maroon and brown toned decor. Tufted leather couches are set against exposed brick walls displaying canvas portraits.
It feels destined to become a Back Bay hot spot. Next time, I'd venture in to enjoy a creative (or a classic) cocktail at the wrap around copper top bar. This time around I was content to sip on a glass of Sparkling Pinot Noir and soak up the Indian summer weather on the patio. Dining al fresco and sharing dishes is a common theme when these ladies and I step out together, The Brahmin's well rounded menu provided a tasty experience that was all too easy on our wallets.
The Brahmin American Cuisine & Cocktails on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

VIP at Del Frisco's

A small collection of nationwide restaurants that embrace the deep rooted American steakhouse tradition, Del Frisco's most definitely knows its prime grade steak and lucky for us New Englanders, a thing or two about seafood. Be that as it may, there's a lot more to the recently opened Boston location than just the food. Hesitant to make the jump from your tried and true upscale steakhouse in favor of the new kid in town? Here is a look at what you can expect! Entering into the first floor off a vibrant section of Northern Avenue known as Liberty Wharf, you continue up a grand staircase into an impressive space housing a swank circular bar with views of the downtown skyline; and an equally as stylish dining room inlaid with plush gray semi-circular booths overlooking a stunning harbor expanse.The media dinner I attended on Thursday evening was held in the appropriately named Harbor Room, housing within its massive wine rack enclosed walls are sweeping red curtains surrounding tables boasting crisp white linens and elegant leather chairs. Commanding attention overhead are two giant chandeliers, the sparkling crystal figures hang to resemble exposed light bulbs. Spectacular, grand, impressive, massive, giant, I'm pulling out all the "go big or go home" esque adjectives; Del Frisco's atmosphere embodies that mantra to a tee.And as the rooms namesake would imply, views of the harbor aren't too shabby either. Not to mention, the coveted outdoor patio space is easily a huge draw to the restaurant in the warm months. The dinner was based on a four course menu and was completely free of charge to attendees.After glancing over the regular menu, everything appears to be fairly expensive. But as usual, I've included the prices in my round up to let you be the judge. At Del Frisco's, you can't go wrong with a signature cocktail. After one a taste of the Absolut Orange Vodka that has been house infused with pineapple and shaken to creamy frothy martini perfection, "The VIP" ($13) will have you feeling just as the namesake touts. The Blackberry Ginger Cocktail ($14) made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, fresh blackberries, fresh lemon juice, mint and a splash of ginger beer, was also a winner. Boasting an extensive wine list (if the glass walled wine racks were any indication) A Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Washington state was poured to compliment our starter courses. Once we made our way to the steak, a Cabernet Sauvignon made just for the restaurant was also nicely paired. The bread here is worth indulging - a full loaf is served warm, soft baked and studded with sesame seeds, be sure to break off a piece and slather it in some of that whipped butter. An extensive spread of shared appetizers began with the Shrimp Cocktail ($19) and Shrimp Remoulade ($19). I enjoyed the presentation with a vivid cocktail sauce layered over a row of jumbo shrimp on a bed of bright green lettuce. Both sauces were nicely flavored, however, I've had better tasting shrimp. I would skip this in favor of another appetizer, especially considering the price point. I wasn't overly impressed by the Ahi Tuna Tartare ($16). This one paled comparison to some of my Boston favorites, although the toasted bread with balsamic on the side was a nice touch. The appetizer worth splurging on is the Crab Cake ($19) with this one you get all the crab and none of the cake! A glorious mound of exceptionally tender and well seasoned crab meat is served over a creamy cajun lobster sauce. Order it if you are a crab lover for sure.I would also recommend the Prime Beef Carpaccio ($14) served with a creole mustard and dotted with capers, the thin but lengthy slices of raw beef were generously layered on the plate. Given a choice of salads, I opted for the Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedge ($11). With smokey bacon, fresh crisp lettuce and springy cherry tomatoes halves the components were lovely despite an overwhelming presence of blue cheese. The dry cheese crumbles are more than welcome in abundance but all that creamy dressing was too much for the wedge to handle.For the steak course, our waitress explained the degree of cooking runs towards rare, so in essence what is actually ordered medium would be cooked medium rare. (Or something along those lines, fair enough.)The supreme quality of beef was evident with each bite of my 8 oz Filet Mignon ($38) cooked to their ideal medium as desired with a fully pink center, retaining its flavorful juiciness. The fork tender filet was liberally seasoned with black pepper and salt. It was an excellent steak indeed. Vegetable sides run the gamut from simply steamed Broccoli ($10), to lightly blanched Asparagus ($11) with shaved almonds, to Sauteed Mushrooms ($10) bathing in savory pan juices. The Chateau Potatoes ($9) are a perplexing side, I guess because I am not really sure what a "chateau" potato is supposed to be. A dish of heavy waxy mashed potatoes with butter and cracked pepper are good, nothing extraordinary. A tower of the thickest Onion Rings ($10) I've ever seen are sensational, while the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese ($16) would prove more swoon worthy had actual chunks of lobster appeared within the cheesy sprinkled with buttery breadcrumbs sea of elbow pasta. Behold the dessert platter, a sampling of their Lemon Cake, Banana Bread Pudding and Molten Chocolate Cake. Each of these proved something incredible. Usually I can pick a favorite dessert, but this time around, I was at a loss. The Creme Brulee and Berries and Cream offer something lighter compared to a cake or bread pudding. Not that you didn't save plenty of room after all that steak! I am content to recommend any of the five as worthy contenders to end a meal here. The service executed by the waitstaff was friendly, helpful and attentive. The pacing of the meal, however, was considerably slower than expected. I took the opportunity to relish the time, enjoying the company of friends and new faces, appreciating the overall fantastic food and drink.
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House located at 250 Northern Avenue on Boston's Liberty Wharf is defined by a spectacular waterfront location where dining in luxury is met with extended hospitality. Come here to celebrate a special occasion, conduct a business meeting over lunch, relax after a long day in the office or have an extravagant night out!
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House on Urbanspoon